VPRS 10472 Court of Petty Sessions Security Book (1915); Inventory of Furniture and Equipment c. 1942)

Full description

This series comprises a single volume which was used for two different purposes at different times by the Smythesdale Courts.

Court of Petty Sessions Security Book (1915 only)

At this period this volume was used to record the security given (in other words a surety) given by a third party to a Court of Petty Sessions to enable an individual time to raise funds to settle a judgement or order. This procedure was introduced through Section 110 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1887 (No. 953) and was continued through successive Justices Acts.

The Rules issued to support the 1887 and 1890 Acts contained the following requirement: "Every clerk of petty sessions shall keep a Security Book in the form prescribed in the Schedule hereto and shall enter therein with respect to each security given in relation to any proceeding before the Court, the name and address of each person bound, showing whether he is bound as principal or surety, the sum in which each person is bound, the undertaking or condition by which he is bound, the date of the security and the person before whom it is taken." An entry in the Security Book once made had the same value as an entry in the Court Register.

Inventory of Furniture and Equipment (Circa 1942 only)

Other pages in this volume were used to document all items held in the court house in circa 1942. Each individual room in the court house, including the court chamber, is identified and the items listed in no particular order.

This volume was not used for any other purpose or in the years between 1915 and circa 1942.